06-06-2005 WS - Laserfiche WebLink

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Item No: 2A Meeting Date: June 6, 2005 Type of Business: Work Session City Administrator Review_____ City of Mounds View Staff Report To: Honorable Mayor and City Council From: Police Chief Mike Sommer Item Title/Subject: Discussion of Traffic Enforcement Date of Report: June 6, 2005 Background: Staff from the Police Department was directed to prepare a general report and discuss the issue of policing as it pertains to traffic enforcement, parking enforcement, and vehicle noise enforcement in the City. Staff understands traffic issues are of great importance to citizens and to the Council. Concerns surrounding traffic issues comprise approximately 80 percent of the complaints citizens have in their city. This is evident within the City of Mounds View, but is certainly not unique to Mounds View. The level of concern over traffic issues is equally important in large cities such as St. Paul, cities across the state of Minnesota, and across the country. The problem is complex, unremitting and continuous. City Councils and police departments understand that traffic related complaints are to be expected, and should have an effective system in place to manage the complaints as they occur. The dilemma of complaints over the driving habits of citizens requires constant attention. The issue in Mounds View is exacerbated by our existing road design. Many of the roadways in Mounds View are wide, straight, and long. These roads by virtue of their design, give drivers the feeling they can travel at higher speeds. This road design was prevalent in the 1960s. Today, residential road construction uses "geometric traffic calming” designs that incorporate curves, narrow road widths, and uses road striping that create a situation that causes traffic to slow to appropriate speeds. Traffic calming road designs should be considered as residential roads are being reconstructed in Mounds View. Overall solutions to traffic concerns also should involve a combination of early driver education, community awareness, street planning and design, road markings and striping, signage, enforcement of traffic laws, and drivers having a respect for their neighbors as they drive through their neighborhoods. The notion that traffic violations can be solved solely by extra enforcement is disingenuous and naive. A permanent solution to stop traffic violations from occurring has yet to be developed anywhere in the United States. So what can be done? We must continually manage traffic issues and complaints. The policing efforts dedicated to this cause, as in all policing must be done fairly and impartially. The most common public safety concern in any city is traffic complaints. If questioned, most citizens would ask for increased enforcement on the street they live on. The majority of citizens may not have the time to formally request this desire to city officials, but rest assured, they have the need, and there concerns cannot go unnoticed because they have not made an official request.